Aggies sending six to College National Finals
Panhandle State’s rodeo team finished their season out this past weekend at the Hitch Pioneer Arena in Guymon. The men’s team finished second for the weekend while the women’s team finished fourth. As the dust settled Saturday and the final numbers came in, OPSU will send six individuals to the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming.
Senior, Ira Dickinson, stole the show in the Saddle Bronc Riding as he fought to land a trip to the CNFR. He split the long-round win with a 73-point ride. Right behind him, senior, Ean Price, was making sure to hold onto his second position in the regional standings by splitting fourth and fifth in the long round. Freshman, Kyle Cavender, split sixth through eighth with sophomores Cade Bell and Brett Coffman split ninth and tenth to make it back in the short go. Price won the short go with a 79-point ride and Dickinson was a point behind to split second and third. Dickinson won the average while Price finished second which secured their spots to Casper. Bell placed seventh in the short go and in the average while Cavender and Coffman failed to make the whistle.
Staying at the bucking chutes, senior, Kelly Murnion, held strong in the Bareback Riding. He split fifth and sixth in the long round and made a 70-point ride in the short go to place fourth and grabbed third in the average.
At the roping chutes, freshman, Tom Simpson placed fourth in the Steer Wrestling long round with a 5.7-second run. A tough draw and a barrier penalty left him eight in the short go and the average.
In the Team Roping, Panhandle State has members from both the men’s and women’s teams making it back to the short go. Seniors, Wyatt Murray and Whitt Crozier set out to be fast at their last college rodeo when they placed second in the long round with an 8.8-second run. Price made his second appearance on Saturday with partner Jayln Hash of GCCC after placing fifth in the long round. Freshman, Denver McGill, and junior, Mckenna Brennan, placed seventh with a 10.3-second run. Simpson heading for senior, Beau Peterson, snuck into the short go by placing tenth in the long round. Simpson and Peterson stayed determined to get a time despite their tough draw and placed fourth in the short go and split fourth and fifth in the average. The three remaining OPSU teams had bad luck and received no times, and finished seventh, ninth, and tenth respectively.
Peterson made her last regular-season rodeo count making it back in three events: Team Roping, Breakaway, and the Goat Tying. She set out to secure her final trip to Casper in the Breakaway Roping with a blazing 2.5-second run in the long round to split fourth and fifth. Peterson made a business run in the short go placing fifth which put her fifth in the average and punched her ticket to another CNFR.
Peterson made her first and only competitive run back in the Goat Tying after a knee injury last spring cut her season short. She didn’t miss a beat in the long round with an 8.6-second run to place fourth. Fellow senior, Alex Hamilton, was hot on her heels placing sixth in the round with a 9.3-second run. Hamilton stayed steady in the short go making a 9.4-second run placing fourth in the go and average. A speed jam got Peterson on Saturday afternoon, but still placed sixth in the round and the average.
Sydney Frey, a junior, was the lone Aggie in the Barrel Racing. She placed fifth in the long go in the big arena with a 17.73-second run. Frey came back faster in the short round with a 17.63-second run placing fourth in the go and fifth in the average.
On Saturday afternoon, Central Plains Regional champions were crowned during the awards ceremony, and studentathletes moving on to the College National Finals Rodeo to represent Panhandle State were announced. Brennan won the Reserve Year End Champion in the Goat Tying and the Women’s Reserve All-Around Champion which means she will also compete in the Breakaway Roping while at the CNFR. Peterson grabbed her final trip to Casper placing third overall for year-end in the Breakaway Roping. Simpson’s consistently paid off as he won Reserve Year End Champion in the Tie-Down Roping. Price and Dickinson punched their tickets to the CNFR in the Saddle Bronc Riding with Price winning Reserve Year-End and Dickinson placing third. Senior, TJ Schmidt, will make another trip to Casper splitting second and third in the year-end standings in the Bull Riding.
Panhandle State cowboys and cowgirls will travel to Casper, Wyoming June 12th-18th to compete at the College National Final Rodeo. Be sure to watch for details to tune and watch our Aggies as the compete for National Titles.